Brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...

William Charles Douglas Veale, (16 May 1895 – 17 August 1971), generally known as W. C. D. Veale, was an Australian engineer, surveyor and soldier. He is best known as the longtime (1947–1965) town clerk of the Adelaide City Council, and had significant influence in the development and change of character of the

City of Adelaide The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council is a local government area in the metropolitan area of greater Adelaide, South Australia and is legally defined as the capital city of South ...

during that period. For example, in conjunction with four-time Lord Mayor of Adelaide,

Arthur Campbell Rymill Sir Arthur Campbell Rymill (8 December 1907 – 27 March 1989) was a businessman, solicitor and Lord Mayor of Adelaide, South Australia. History Born in Adelaide, the son of businessman Arthur Graham Rymill (9 May 1868 – 10 September 1934) ...

, Veale was responsible for significant improvements to the

Adelaide Park Lands The Adelaide Park Lands are the figure-eight of land spanning both banks of the River Torrens between Hackney and Thebarton and separating the City of Adelaide area (which includes both Adelaide city centre and North Adelaide) from the surro ...

. He was also a senior soldier and military engineer who served in both the

First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

and

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

s, and is notable for his involvement in the Battle of Timor and during the

Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies The Empire of Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) during World War II from March 1942 until after the end of the war in September 1945. It was one of the most crucial and important periods in modern Indonesian history. In May ...

Veale Gardens Veale Gardens is part of the Adelaide Parklands throughout and surrounding the City of Adelaide The City of Adelaide, also known as the Corporation of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide City Council is a local government area in the metr ...

in Adelaide's South Parklands is named in his honour.

Early years

Veale was born in

Bendigo Bendigo ( ) is a city in Victoria, Australia, located in the Bendigo Valley near the geographical centre of the state and approximately north-west of Melbourne, the state capital. As of 2019, Bendigo had an urban population of 100,991, makin ...

on 16 May 1895, and educated locally. He was later apprenticed to an engineer at the Whittlesea Council in Morang,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

First World War

Veale enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 14 February 1916. In October 1917, while he was one of a party marking out an assembly position, the party came under fire and several of the party were seriously wounded. While under continuous shell fire, Veale attended to all of their wounds, got them to safety and then successfully marked out the assembly position. "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty", he was awarded the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military decoration, ranki ...

. Veale was commissioned

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in May 1918. While on operations in the Somme, France, in August 1918, in a single night when under enemy shelling, he supervised the construction of two bridges required for use by the infantry next morning, without alerting the enemy. For this deed he was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

. – Military Cross (MC)

Interbellum

After a period working at

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

and the

Ministry of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

in London, Veale returned to Victoria, serving as engineer to the

Shire of Kowree The Shire of Kowree was a local government area in western Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1862 until 1995. History Kowree was first incorporated as a road district on 24 June 1862, and became a shire on ...

Council at

Edenhope Edenhope is a town in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Wimmera Highway, 30 kilometres from the South Australian border, in the Shire of West Wimmera local government area. At the Edenhope had a population of 946. ...

. He married Eileen Guest at All Saints' Church of England,

Bright Bright may refer to: Common meanings *Bright, an adjective meaning giving off or reflecting illumination; see Brightness *Bright, an adjective meaning someone with intelligence People * Bright (surname) * Bright (given name) *Bright, the stage na ...

, on 12 February 1923. On 8 October 1923 Veale became Assistant City Engineer and Surveyor to the City of Adelaide at an annual salary of A£450. In 1926 he became Deputy City Engineer, and City Engineer in 1929. During this period he served with the

Citizens Military Force The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen ...

, rising to the rank of

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

Second World War

Prior to and during the Second World War, Veale held the following positions and commands:V84544 William Charles Douglas Veale, MC, DCM
www.awm.gov.au

Post-war and retirement

Veale was appointed town clerk in January 1947, and retired in November 1965. He died on 17 August 1971, aged 76, in

North Adelaide North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct and suburb of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands. History Surveyor-General Colonel William Light of the colo ...

and was cremated.

Honours and awards

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(CBE) – 10 June 1954The Order of the British Empire – Commander (Civil)
(CBE), 10 June 1954, It's an Honour *

(MC) – 1 February 1919Military Cross
(MC), 1 February 1919, www.awm.gov.au *

(DCM) – 1918Distinguished Conduct Medal
(DCM), 6 February 1918, It's an Honour *

Efficiency Decoration The Efficiency Decoration, post-nominal letters TD for recipients serving in the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom or ED for those serving in the Auxiliary Military Forces, was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time officers after twe ...

(ED) *Fellow of the

Royal Australian Planning Institute Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) is the peak national body representing town planning and the planning profession in Australia. PIA represents approximately 5000 members nationally and internationally. It is governed by a National Board of D ...

. He was federal president (1954–55). *Fellow of the Institute of Municipal Administration

References

External links

William Charles Douglas Veale, CBE, MC, DCM
adelaidia.sa.gov.au
Temporary Brigadier W C D Veale
www.awm.gov.au
William Charles Douglas VEALE MC DCM
RSL Virtual War Memorial {{DEFAULTSORT:Veale, William 1895 births 1971 deaths Military personnel from Victoria (Australia) Australian brigadiers 20th-century Australian engineers Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Australian military personnel of World War I Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal Australian recipients of the Military Cross Australian surveyors People from Adelaide People from Bendigo